List of Grand Imams of al-Azhar

The post of Grand Imam of al-Azhar, or shaykh of al-Azhar, has been filled by a member of the ulema, the religious scholars, of Egypt. The position of Grand Imam of al-Azhar is among the most prominent roles in Sunni Islam, the most prominent official religious role in Egypt,[1] and is considered by some Muslims to be the highest authority in Islamic jurisprudence.[2] Prior to the establishment of the post under the Ottoman Empire, the holder of that position was named mushrif then later a nazir.[3] Between 1860 and 1864 a board of scholars served the role as Grand Imam.[4]

Several of the Grand Imams served multiple terms; each term is listed separately. The original sources give the year based on the Islamic calendar, so the conversion to Gregorian years by later Western sources may not be precise.[4]

List

Serving 1st term.
Serving 2nd term.
Portrait Grand Imam Began End Madhhab Notes
1 Muhammad al-Kharashi
(Arabic: محمد الخرشي)
1679 1690 Maliki al-Kharashi (1601–1690) was born in Abu Kharash, Beheira Governorate
2 Ibrahim al-Barmawi
(Arabic: إبراهيم البرماوي)
1690 1695 Shafii al-Barmawi (died 1695) was born in Barma, Gharbia Governorate
3 Muhammad al-Nasharti
(Arabic: محمد النشرتي)
1695 1709 Maliki al-Nasharti (died 1709) was born in Nashart, Kafr El Sheikh Governorate
4 Abd al-Baqi al-Qalini
(Arabic: عبد الباقي القليني)
1709 1709 Maliki al-Qalini was born in Qallin, Kafr El Sheikh Governorate
5 Muhammad Shanan
(Arabic: محمد شنن)
1709 1720 Maliki Shanan (1656–1720) was born in Al Gadeyah, Beheira Governorate
6 Ibrahim al-Fayyumi
(Arabic: إبراهيم الفيومي)
1720 1724 Maliki al-Fayyumi (1652–1724) was born in Faiyum, Faiyum Governorate
7 Abdullah al-Shubrawi
(Arabic: عبد الله الشبراوي)
1724 1758 Shafii al-Shubrawi (1681–1758) was born in Cairo, Cairo Governorate
8 Muhammad al-Hiffnawi
(Arabic: محمد بن سالم الحفني)
1758 1767 Shafii al-Hiffnawi (1688–1768) was born in Hiffna, Sharqia Governorate
9 Abd al-Rauf al-Sajini
(Arabic: عبد الرؤوف السجيني)
1767 1769 Shafii al-Sajini was born in Sagin Al Kom, Gharbia Governorate
10 Ahmed al-Damanhuri
(Arabic: أحمد الدمنهوري)
1769 1778 Shafii al-Damanhuri was born in Damanhur, Beheira Governorate
11 Ahmed al-Arusi
(Arabic: أحمد العروسي)
1778 1793 Shafii Ahmed al-Arusi (1720–1804) was born in Manyal Arous, Monufia Governorate. He was the father of #14 Muhammed al-Arusi, grandfather of #20 Mustafa al-Arusi.
12 Abdullah al-Sharqawi
(Arabic: عبد الله الشرقاوي)
1793 1812 Shafii al-Sharqawi (1737–1812) was born in At Tawilah, Sharqia Governorate
13 Muhammed al-Shanawani
(Arabic: محمد الشنواني)
1812 1818 Shafii al-Shanawani (died 1818) was born in Shanawan, Monufia Governorate
14 Muhammed al-Arusi
(Arabic: محمد العروسي)
1818 1829 Shafii Muhammed al-Arusi was the son of #11 Ahmed al-Arusi, father of #20 Mustafa al-Arusi.
15 Ahmed al-Damhuji
(Arabic: أحمد الدمهوجي)
1829 1830 Shafii al-Damhuji (1761–1831) was born in Damhuj, Monufia Governorate
16 Hasan al-Attar
(Arabic: حسن العطار)
1830 1834 Shafii al-Attar (1766–1835) was born in Cairo, Cairo Governorate. He was of Moroccan origin.
17 Hasan al-Quwaysini
(Arabic: حسن القويسني)
1834 1838 Shafii al-Quwaysini (died 1838) was born in Quesna, Monufia Governorate
18 Ahmed al-Sa'im al-Safti
(Arabic: أحمد السفطي)
1838 1847 Shafii al-Safti was born in Saft El Arfa, Beni Suef Governorate
19 Ibrahim al-Bajuri
(Arabic: إبراهيم الباجوري)
1847 1864 Shafii al-Bajuri (1784–1864) was born in El Bagour, Monufia Governorate
20 Mustafa al-Arusi
(Arabic: مصطفى العروسي)
1864 1870 Shafii Mustafa al-Arusi (1798–1876) was the son of #14 Muhammed al-Arusi, grandson of #11 Ahmed al-Arusi.
21 Muhammad al-Mahdi
(Arabic: محمد المهدي العباسي)
1870 1881 Hanafi al-Mahdi (1827–1897) was born in Alexandria, Alexandria Governorate
22 Shams al-Din Muhammad al-Imbabi
(Arabic: شمس الدين الأنبابي)
1881 1882 Shafii al-Imbabi (1824–1896) was born in Cairo, originally from Imbaba, Giza Governorate
23 Muhammad al-Mahdi
(Arabic: محمد المهدي العباسي)
1882 1886 Hanafi
24 Shams al-Din Muhammad al-Imbabi
(Arabic: شمس الدين الأنبابي)
1886 1895 Shafii
25 Hassunah al-Nawawi
(Arabic: حسونة النواوي)
1895 1899 Hanafi al-Nawawi (1839–1924) was born in Nawai, Asyut Governorate
26 Abd al-Rahman al-Qutb al-Nawawi
(Arabic: عبد الرحمن القطب النواوي)
1899 1899 Hanafi al-Nawawi (died 1909) was born in Nawai, Asyut Governorate
27 Salim al-Bishri
(Arabic: سليم البشري)
1899 1903 Maliki al-Bishri (1832–1916) was born in Mahallat Bishr, Beheira Governorate
28 Ali al-Biblawi
(Arabic: علي الببلاوي)
1903 1905 Maliki al-Biblawi (1835–1905) was born in Biblaw, Asyut Governorate
29 Abd al-Rahman al-Shirbini
(Arabic: عبد الرحمن الشربيني)
1905 1907 Shafii al-Shirbini (died 1908) was probably born in Sherbin, Dakahlia Governorate
30 Hassanuh al-Nawawi
(Arabic: حسونة النواوي)
1907 1909 Hanafi
31 Salim al-Bishri
(Arabic: سليم البشري)
1909 1917 Maliki
32 Muhammad al-Jizawi
(Arabic: محمد أبو الفضل الجيزاوي)
1917 1927 Maliki al-Jizawi (1874–1927) was born in El-Warraq, Giza Governorate
33 Mustafa Al-Maraghi
(Arabic: محمد مصطفى المراغي)
1927 1929 Hanafi al-Maraghi (1881–1945) was born in El Maragha, Sohag Governorate
34 Muhammad al-Zawahiri
(Arabic: محمد الأحمدي الظواهري)
1929 1935 Shafii al-Zawahiri (1878–1944) was born in Kafr Ash Sheikh Dhawahri, Sharqia Governorate. He was of Arab origin.
35 Mustafa Al-Maraghi
(Arabic: محمد مصطفى المراغي)
1935 1945 Hanafi
36 Mustafa Abd al-Rizq
(Arabic: مصطفى عبد الرازق)
1945 1947 Hanafi Abd al-Rizq (1885–1947) was born in Abu Jirj, Minya Governorate
37 Muhammad Ma'mun al-Shinnawi
(Arabic: محمد مأمون الشناوي)
1948 1950 Hanafi al-Shinnawi (1878–1950) was born in El Zarqa, Damietta Governorate
38 Abd al-Majid Salim
(Arabic: عبد المجيد سليم)
1950 1951 Hanafi Salim (1882–1954) was born in Meet Shahala, Monufia Governorate
39 Ibrahim Hamrush
(Arabic: إبراهيم حمروش)
1951 1952 Hanafi Hamrush (1880–1960) was born in Al Khawaled, Beheira Governorate
40 Abd al-Majid Sulaym
(Arabic: عبد المجيد سليم)
1952 1952 Hanafi
41 Muhammad al-Khadi Husayn
(Arabic: محمد الخضر حسين)
1952 1954 Maliki Husayn (1876–1958) was born in Nefta, Tozeur Governorate, Tunisia. He was of Algerian origin.
42 Abd al-Rahman Taj
(Arabic: عبد الرحمن تاج)
1954 1958 Hanafi Taj (1896–1975) was born in Asyut, Asyut Governorate
43 Mahmud Shaltut
(Arabic: محمود شلتوت)
1958 1963 Hanafi Shaltut (1893–1963) was born in Minyat Bani Mansur, Beheira Governorate
44 Hassan Mamoun
(Arabic: حسن مأمون)
1963 1969 Mamoun (1894–1973) was born in Cairo, Cairo Governorate
45 Muhammad al-Fahham
(Arabic: محمد الفحام)
1969 1973 al-Fahham (1894–1980) was born in Alexandria Governorate
46 Abdel Halim Mahmoud
(Arabic: عبد الحليم محمود)
1973 1978 Maliki Mahmoud (1910–1978) was born in Al Salam, Sharqia Governorate
47 Muhammad Abd al-Rahman Bisar
(Arabic: محمد عبد الرحمن بيصار)
1979 1982 Bisar (1910–1982) was born in As Salmiyyah, Kafr El Sheikh Governorate
48 Gad al-Haq
(Arabic: جاد الحق علي جاد الحق)
1982 1996 al-Haq (1917–1996) was born in Batra, Dakahlia Governorate
49 Muhammad Sayyid Tantawy
(Arabic: محمد سيد طنطاوي)
1996 2010 Shafii Tantawy (1928–2010) was born in Selim ash-Sharqiyah, Tima municipality, Sohag Governorate
50 Ahmed El-Tayeb
(Arabic: أحمد الطيب)
2010 present Maliki El-Tayeb (born 1946) was born in Kurna, Luxor Governorate

Footnotes

  1. Beattie 2000, p. 225
  2. Bennett 2005, p. 220
  3. Dodge 1961, p. 83
  4. 1 2 Dodge 1961, pp. 193–194

References

  • Dodge, Bayard (1961), Al-Azhar: A Millennium of Muslim learning, Middle East Institute
  • Beattie, Kirk J. (2000), Egypt during the Sadat years, Palgrave Macmillan, ISBN 978-0-312-23246-7
  • Bennett, Clinton (2005), Muslims and modernity: an introduction to the issues and debates, Continuum International Publishing Group, ISBN 978-0-8264-5481-2
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